1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to shields and deflectors and more particularly to shields and deflectors which attach directly to the face of the wearer for protecting the eyes of the wearer from the sun.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
There are a number of personal eye shade and shield devices in the prior art. One such eye shade can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 2,710,966 to Dale, Jr. The Dale, Jr. eye shade is designed to abut directly against the forehead of the user and is held in place by means of members extending back to the ears of the wearer or by means of an elastic band which extended about the head of the wearer. Although Dale, Jr. taught an eye shade having upper and lower shield portions for protection both above and below the line of sight of the wearer, such upper and lower portions are in fixed position with regard to each other. Therefore, the shield of Dale, Jr. requires the simultaneous use of the upper and lower shield portions. Further, due to the enclosing structure and close abutment with the face of the wearer, the Dale, Jr. eye shade is not adaptable for use by a person who would desire to use the shade in conjunction with eye glasses.
Another eye shield having similar deficiencies as those of the Dale, Jr. patent can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 2,714,716 to McLennan. As with Dale Jr., McLennan teaches an eye shield having upper and lower shields which are in fixed relationship to one another. Arms are provided which extend back to the ears of the wearer to support the shield. The McLennan shield is also not adaptable for use with eye glasses.
Still another eye shade of the prior art is depicted in U.S. Pat. No. 2,645,774 to Dale, Jr. The support means for this Dale, Jr. eye shade are arms which extend back to the ears of the wearer. Again, the upper and lower shield portions reside in fixed position with regard to one another and therefore, when worn, both the upper and lower portions of the shield must be used.
Italian Pat. No. 473,263 to Savoini, et al apparently teaches a shield designed to mount to a pair of eye glasses made specifically for that purpose. The shield extends outward from the eye glasses and can be pivoted to a variety of positions. The Savoini, et al device is supported by typical eye glass arms which extend back to the ears of the wearer. Savoini does not teach a combination of upper and lower shields such that the wearer can sight between the two shields.
Nothing in the prior art teaches a shield which mounts directly to the face of the wearer by means of suction cups or two sided tape. Nothing in the prior art teaches a shield which raised or lowered by the wearer merely by raising or lowering his or her brow. Further, nothing in the prior art teaches the use of a lower shield member which can be folded down to allow the wearer to sight between the upper and lower shield members or to be folded upward behind the upper shield such that the wearer has the choice of using the upper shield alone or in combination with the lower shield.